Kjæreste
by j.c.cougar09
Summary: A story about how life and love change after the Thaw for the royals of Arendelle. :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**Okay, so this takes place right around a year or so after the Thaw. I'm kinda hopping in tight in the middle of the story, but I'll be filling in all KINDS of blanks soon! This may end up taking a turn to becoming a series of one-shots, but who knows? Enjoy!**

"Are you alright, Sweetie?" Gerda asked as she passed the girl wandering aimlessly down the long hallway.

Lily nodded silently. In truth, she _was _quite alright; full from lunch and spent from daily lessons, the girl somewhat relished the free time she didn't know what to do with. Gerda, however, did not seem placated. This poor little thing roamed quietly much too much like the ghost she remembered Anna resembling for the woman's comfort.

"Your momma is in her office," she offered gently. "I'm sure she'd love to see you for a bit."

_Momma_.

Lily played with the word in her head as she smiled in silent acknowledgement of Gerda. This word wasn't necessarily new; she'd been adopted by the young Queen of Arendelle nearly three months ago, and had been staying there twice as long before that. They insisted she use this word, as that was what Elsa was to her now, but Lily still had trouble. Sure, she'd had a momma before, but that was a long time ago. She couldn't even remember her anymore, well, besides the perfect green of her sparkling eyes. But . . . Lily was grown now. She hadn't had a momma for far too long, and couldn't help but wonder if this was still the appropriate term for someone who was her mother. She compared the childish word to her mind's picture of the regal Queen, but was immediately overwhelmed with different images; ones of Elsa's smile as they played together in the snow, or her gentle hands combing through the girl's hair after a long bath . . .

Yes, perhaps it was the right word, even if she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

/ / / / / /

Gerda had been right. She usually was. Elsa . . . Mother, no . . . _Momma_ was in her office, but Lily did not dare go in and disturb her. She was far too busy to be disturbed at the moment; she hadn't even taken lunch with her or Aunt Anna like Lily was growing accustomed to. Though, in all honesty, that may have been a good thing that particular day. Aunt Anna had gone riding a new trail that morning, not bothering to clean up for lunch. And while this didn't bother Lily in the slightest, she knew the Queen would have been less than pleased with her sister – the Crown Princess of Arendelle for god's sake.

The thought alone had Lily stifling giggles as she made her way to the castle library. She knew Aunt Anna typically only ventured to this magical, foreign land when Momma was here reading, but since she was caught up in 'queenly business' Lily had the vast room to herself. She casually grabbed a thick leather-bound book without bothering to glance at its title, and made herself wholly comfortable on a couch nearest the far wall, lined with windows.

/ / / / / /

Sometime later, as the midday sun began to relinquish its hold on the world and gave way to the gentle pinks and purples of sunset, Lily found herself stirring awake. _When had she fallen asleep_? Perhaps it had been somewhere in the first few pages of the heavy 'Modern Architecture' book now lying open over her chest. The thought was not unreasonable.

_Lily_ . . .

Her brain still heavy with sleep caused the girl to be sure her name was being called, but she quickly dismissed it, and attempted to get comfortable again.

"Lily . . ." There it was again, closer this time. Perhaps it wasn't a figment of her overtired mind?

"Lily, dear?"

This time as the voice drew closer, the girl realized not only was the voice actually calling for her, but she also knew who the soft peal of bells belonged to. Her mouth and throat were far too desiccated from slack-jawed sleeping to respond, so she willed her stiff muscles to life. It took her a few moments of attempting to stand with fierce might before her equilibrium cooperated, and she stumbled to the door, as the voice drew closer still.

"Lily, _hvor er du min lille en_?"

Though she was not familiar with this language that was still fairly new to her, Lily got the distinct impression she was being looked for. And the way her momma had said '_little one_' let her know she wasn't in any sort of trouble.

"In here, Mother," Lily croaked opening the large double doors.

Elsa had taken only a few strides past, but quickly back-tracked to take Lily's small face in her pale hands. The Queen's smile was small, but it comforted the girl in her delicate grasp. Secretly, Lily didn't exactly mind that Elsa often made up for the fact she never had a child to be 'small' with, as Gerda had once said, and sometimes treated the girl as if she were slightly less than seven.

"I've been looking for you, kjæreste." The pet name fell from Elsa's lips so naturally, Lily never questioned it. It had been one of her first – no, _the_ first – Norwegian word Lily learned, as it was her momma's new favorite.

"It's a term of endearment, child," Gerda had explained when Lily had been too embarrassed to ask the Queen. "She's calling you 'sweetheart.'"

She loved it immediately.

"I'm sorry," Lily said, looking down at her sock-clad feet. "I've been . . . Reading." The Queen ran her cool thumbs over Lily's cheeks with a knowing smirk.

"I think the word you're looking for is _sleeping_, kjæreste. Are you feeling well?"

Now that her mother had mentioned it, Lily was suddenly aware of just how _unwell_ she felt. It was with great suddenness she felt flushed beyond reason; Elsa's hands uncomfortably cold now on her face. She felt the world spinning beneath her feet as a wave of unexpected nausea rolled over her, and the Queen caught her without thought as Lily began to slump to the floor. The sunset that filled the castle halls quickly turned to the blackest night as Elsa called out:

"Gerda! Get the physician!"

**A/N**

**Alrighty! There's round one! Please read and review, even if you don't have anything nice to say, I like feedback. **

**OH! And for those of you not familiar with Norwegian:**

**"Lily, _hvor er du min lille en_?" means "Lily, where are you my little one?" **

**Thanks for reading guys! **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 ~ELSA'S P.O.V.~

_**A/N:**_

_**Sorry for the lengthy period between updates guys! It's been a tough couple weeks, and I've been doing most of my writing on paper and then transferring to the computer when time is on my side. Hopefully, the fact that I plan to post at least TWO chapters in the next day or so will make up for my horrible work with timing. ;)**_

_**Anywho . . . Unfortunately, I do NOT own 'Frozen' or anything Disney related. I DO, however, claim Lily and Rasmus (pronounced Razz-muss) as mine. **_

_**ENJOY!**_

To her great relief, Elsa was soon told by the castle physician that Lily was only suffering from a nasty head cold that had gone untreated for a little too long. He had surmised that time was most likely on their side, and hopefully the girl would not come down with pneumonia as a result. It was a long-ingrained habit of the young queen to immediately feel immense guilt. Perhaps she had been working too much? Yes, that had to be it. Sure, she had been a workaholic most of her life – what else was there for her to do in that room all by herself? – but now that she was a mother, work was going to have to take a rather big hit on her priority list. Lily was still young, not a toddler, but young enough to obviously need a mother's time and attention.

Two things Elsa had not been consciously giving her.

"I know what you're thinking," a soft voice said from the door of Lily's room. Elsa had been sitting there at the foot of the bed ever since the physician left, watching and waiting without words for her baby to wake up. She didn't have to look up to know who was talking to her; the words always came out sounding like sunshine, even the few times she could remember them coming out careful and quiet.

"Well aren't you a gifted princess," she teased, only able to work up the smallest of smiles.

"I _do_ have a talented sister," the redhead admitted, stepping further into the dark room. "I guess it runs in the family. But really, Elsa, I know you."

"And what is it you think you know, Anna?"

Taking great care to be slow and gentle, (something she was not accustomed to), Anna took a seat next to Elsa at Lily's feet. The princess did not hesitate to take her sister's hand despite its uncomfortable chill. If anything, that only cemented the vailidity of her argument.

"I know you're somehow blaming yourself for this."

_Somehow_.

"Who else would you have me blame?" The queen countered with legitimate concern.

"No one, Elsa," Anna cooed at her, rubbing small circles into Elsa's snowy palm. "This kind of thing tends to happen. I don't know much about kids, but I _do_ know that they get sick once in awhile." Elsa's face only fell further. She had already thought of that.

"But with Rasmus gone . . ." She began, unsure of how exactly she intended to finish the statement. Luckily, Anna really did know what her sister was thinking.

"Rasmus will be back so soon . . . You won't even have time to miss him. And anyway, what's he got to do with this? He couldn't have kept Lily from getting sick."

"No," Elsa snapped, "but he would have noticed sooner than I did!"

And it was true, in Elsa's mind, at least. Though it wasn't – and wouldn't be – legal for a few more months still, Rasmus played the role of 'father' to Lily beautifully. It was one of the things that made her realize the feelings she had for "Razzy" as Anna liked to call him, where those of the deepest, truest kind of love. Sure his visits had been often and pleasurable befor he made Arendelle his home, his letters even more so, but Elsa was sure that the young man was for more in love with her than she was with him. At first anyway, when she wasn't sure what to call the feelings she couldn't bear to say out loud, that was how it was.

But everything changed when that sweet girl all but fell into their lives. Rasmus gave selflessly to her without hesitation or reservation, and it made Elsa's so-called frozen heart swell with warmth she had never experienced before. He was more on board with Elsa making Lily hers than anyone else – even Anna, though the princess was more than thrilled to gain a niece. It was something so different. So powerful.

She had asked him to marry her right then and there.

"Elsa, no!" Anna had protested, though not to marriage as her sister had orginally thought. Elsa thought that may have been a little hypocritical of the hyperactive princess. "_He's_ supposed to ask _you_! Don't you know anything?"

As it turned out, Elsa did know something. She knew that when Anna sacrificed herself before the Thaw, it truly melted away half of the ice coating Elsa's heart from the rest of the world. Then, when Rasmus stumbled onto Arendelle soil during a pit stop on one of his routes only a year later, more frozen pieces fell away. He was perfect for her – even if she couldn't admit it to herself at the time. But when Lily became a presence, a driving force in the queen's life - and subsequently, her gentlemen friend's as well – that was when not even a flake of cold was left behind.

Anna may have thawed her sister's heart, but Rasmus had won it with the help of the beautiful little girl who would soon enough officially be his daughter.

". . . So it's not like you really even did anything wrong," Anna said, pulling Elsa from her daydreams. Perhaps she was falling ill too? Daydreaming instead of listening . . . That just wasn't her.

"What?" She asked, hoping Anna would not be upset at her carelessness.

"I said, no one really noticed Lily getting sick. She ate so well with me today - very healthy, veggies and everything – and Gerda said she fell right asleep after her bath last night. She seemed normal to all of us, so it's not like you really even did anything wrong."

"I suppose," Elsa conceded with a heavy sigh, but Anna could hear the truth beyond her sister's words.

"Rasmus would agree with me," she added with a playful smile. To that, Elsa found herself smirking at her young sister. _She just tried so hard_.

"She's right," a tiny voice sounded from the end of the bed opposite where the sisters were sitting. They turned in unison to see Lily's beautiful emerald eyes open and gazing at them sleepily.

"_Kjæreste_," Elsa sighed, moving to be at the girl's side.

"Hey there, kiddo," Anna smiled, taking the other side.

"What did you say, dear?" Elsa asked tentatively, prepared to give the girl whatever she needed.

"I said, 'she's right.' Aunt Anna, I mean. You didn't do anything wrong. No one noticed I was sick because I didn't want them to," she admitted with heaving, nasaled breaths.

"But why, baby? We're here to help you."

"I know. But . . . You've just been so stressed the past few weeks. With the wedding plans . . . Queen stuff . . . Razzy leaving . . ."

"You just _had_ to call him that," Elsa said to her sister with a rather elongated eye roll.

"He likes it," Anna replied with a wink and proud smile.

"Anyway . . . Lily, my love, you should never hide anything from me. I don't care how busy or stressed you think I am, none of it is as important as you. I love you, and I don't want anything to happen to you. Do you understand?" Lily nodded, a few tears escaping her tired eyes.

/ / / / / /

Elsa ended up falling asleep in Lily's room that night. She was slumped uncomfortably against the child's bed, for fear of disturbing what she was sure was already difficult sleep for Lily. Sleeping on one arm as a makeshift pillow, the queen let her other cool hand drape lazily against the girl's flushed and feverish skin, hoping to keep her temperature under control. Elsa knew she would wake up sore and still quite tired, but she couldn't find it in her to leave her sick baby.

Somewhere in the deep, dark hours of night when Elsa had truly lost herself to unconsciousness, a pair of thin but unbelievably strong arms pulled her upright. She was startled for only a moment – keeping her ice at bay – when the arms held her close, bridal style, and she inhaled reflexively. The scent that filled her was of the night itself; cool, crisp, and something else that she had no name for.

Well, almost.

"_Rasmus_," she breathed with a smile, trying to take in as much of him as possible.

"Hello, Beautiful. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. _So much_, Rasmus," the queen said slowly, unable to fight sleep off completely. His laugh was low and quiet, but her body was so close to his just then that the sound vibrated and rolled off her like a wave. She loved this man so much more than she could express, she knew that, there simply were no words.

"Let's get you to bed."

_Those worked_.

"I can't . . . Lily," she said weakly in explination. As if on cue, the tiny girl stirred beneath the array of covers she was swaddled in. She raised her head only slightly; just enough to see Rasmus standing there at her bed, bathed in moonlight, holding her mother like a child.

"_Razzy_," she sighed with a heart-wrenching smile. Rasmus couldn't help but wonder how he continued to see so much of his beautiful queen in the tiny creature when they didn't share blood, but dismissed the thought quickly. She was his.

No.

She was _theirs_.

"Hello, Lilypad. Will you be alright if Mommy sleeps in her own bed tonight?"

"Yes," Lily said with a weak nod, still smiling.

"Good. You get some more sleep, and I'll see you when the sun wakes up. Okay?"

Again, she nodded. They both exchanged quiet 'I love you's' as Elsa was fast asleep again. Rasmus bid the girl goodnight, and carefully made his way just next door, where long double doors emblazoned with snowflakes greeted him.

"Here we are, my queen," he said, laying her out on the large bed with the fraility of glass. Instantly, she was awake again, and her tiny hand grasped the front of his shirt as if this were a matter of life and death. For a few of the copper buttons that fell prey to her grip, it was.

"Stay," she whispered into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**_

_**So . . . This chapter is just a LITTLE bit shorter than its predecessors, and I apologize for that, but I promise that the next chapter will more than make up for it! **_

_**I also want to take a quick moment to thank everyone that has followed and favorited me, or my stories. I'm still pretty new to all this, so it's nice to know that at least a few people think I'm worth reading. You guys make my world go 'round. :) Feel free to leave me comments or questions, as I am very open to feedback, (even if you aren't very nice). **_

_**ENJOY! **_

Chapter 3 ~LILY'S P.O.V.~

When her eyes first popped open the next morning, Lily definitely did not feel any better. If anything, this was surely worse than the previous day, but she did remember that Rasmus had returned from his trip last night, and that was worth something. Slowly, she pulled herself out of her oversized bed, testing out her sore limbs cautiously. _How could she be so sore_? Everything was so stiff and painful that the girl almost stayed safe in her bed where things didn't hurt nearly as much, but the thought of playing with Razzy after so long had her mind made up for her.

Little Lily didn't even bother to change out of her nightclothes before setting out in search of Rasmus. Slowed down from the sickness she chose to ignore for so long, it took her significantly longer than usual to make her way down the hallway opposite hers, and ended up at the door to her nearly-father's room several minutes later. But . . . He wasn't there. _Strange_. Next, Lily decided to check her mother's study, figuring that after a time apart, Rasmus would not be removed from Elsa's side except with brute force. (Possibly not even that; she'd seen him go toe – to – toe with the young queen's much feared powers). However, he wasn't there either. As a matter of fact, neither was Elsa.

_That_ was truly odd.

Now coughing until her parched throat bled – _ouch_ – Lily made her way back down the hall to her room, saddened that it seemed she would be going back to bed. Next door, her mother's room was eerily quiet, and Lily wondered if she might still be sleeping after attempting to stay awake with her all night. Without knocking, she peeked her head through the large doors, and strained to squint into the nearly dark room. The curtains were drawn, blocking the now late morning sun, but the girl managed to catch a peek of movement on the far side of the room. Her mother's form turned over in fitful sleep, her long pale arms wrapped around Rasmus, who was also fast asleep, despite the hour.

"What are you doing out of bed, Cutie?" Anna's voice sounded behind her, causing Lily to jump. She coughed into the sleeve of her nightgown – how Elsa would disapprove – before trying to answer her aunt, knowing full well that she was not to be up and about until the physician took her off bed rest. But Anna's little niece knew all too well her aunt's affinity for breaking rules, and hoped her sick puppy dog eyes worked just as well as the healthy ones.

"Razzy came home last night," she said, trying to sound equally pitiful and excited, while the latter simply spilled out of her without her permission. The words, however, came out sounding as though they belonged to a dying bullfrog.

"That's great!" Anna exclaimed, quickly sharing Lily's enthusiasm. "How about we go to his room then, and let your momma sleep?" _There was that word again._

Lily pointed a tiny thumb behind her toward Elsa's room, confused.

"But . . . He's in there," she said simply.

That seemed to silence Anna . . . For the moment, anyway. She absently tucked a stray strand of ginger hair behind her ear, and screwed her soft features in obvious confusion, before peeking in Elsa's room herself. Awaiting the princess, was the shocking sight of her sister and soon – to – be brother – in – law, sleeping soundly in each other's arms.

Without clothes.

Anna closed the door as quickly as she could without disturbing the occupants, and turned back to her niece, stifling guilty giggles.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, her tiny dark eyebrows pulling together.

"Nothing at all," Anna laughed. "But why don't we go get you back in bed before Elsa wakes up, and we'll eat breakfast there?" The little girl's eyes flew open wide at the heinous suggestion, and she smiled brightly.

"Even pancakes?" She asked, disbelieving.

"_Especially_ pancakes," Anna said, gently guiding her away from Elsa's door . . .

~ELSA'S P.O.V.~

Anna greeted her sister with a look that morning, and a very odd one, at that. Elsa had never seen it before, and was far too tired to begin to deduce what it might mean. Instead, she simply tucked herself into the dining table, and gave Anna a pleasant smile.

"Good morning, Anna," she said quietly.

"It's actually afternoon, but I'll take it."

Elsa's eyes widened slightly at the news. How had she nearly slept the day away, and still awoke exhausted? Just as she silently pondered this question of herself, foggy, sleep – ridden memories of the previous night returned to her in an overwhelming gush. She suddenly understood all too well the smirk lighting up her little sister's face.

"Not a word, Anna," the young queen warned. Anna couldn't help but laugh at the serious line Elsa's pink lips had fallen into.

"Fine," she giggled. "It's not like I was going to ask you how it was or anything."

"ANNA!"

"I do however, think it's worth mentioning that your daughter caught you."

At this, Elsa froze – metaphorically, of course – though Anna did swear the temperature of the room dropped a few degrees.

"Oh God," Elsa sighed, her face in her hands.

"It's okay," Anna tried to soothe her. "She didn't actually see you doing anything as far as I know, and I don't think it's bothering her. You should probably try to talk to her about it, though. I'm not sure how much she . . . _understands_ . . . If you get my meaning." The queen only nodded as lunch was placed in front of her. She was in silent awe of the princess's ability to keep such calm. It was so un-Anna, but a welcome shift, at least.

/ / / / / /

After the young royals finished their lunch, (Anna having to coax her sister repeatedly into staying and eating just a few more bites of her already meager meal with the argument that Lily was most likely still asleep), the pair ventured upstairs. Elsa knew the anxious feeling blooming in her belly would not subside until she spoke to Lily herself. Though she still wasn't sure exactly what to say, the queen prayed to any deity that would listen that she would have the words when the moment came.

". . . Please make her stop," a tiny voice came from behind Lily's door. Elsa had to stop herself from barging in at just those words, and noted with a small part of her mind that the small sound did not radiate trouble or pain, just . . . Annoyance. That was her girl, alright.

"I would if I could, kiddo, but I'm pretty powerless, here."

Rasmus.

His voice was like chocolate for her soul; it filled her up and warmed her in the most pleasant way imaginable. Elsa found herself grinning like a maniac simply _listening_ to this beautiful symphony. She couldn't help but wonder how she's gotten so lucky to be favored this much as Anna opened the door to reveal two more of her favorite people.

"Mother," Lily whined, trying a new tactic, "please tell Gerda that I'm not a baby, and I can feed myself."

Sure enough, when Elsa took in the whole picture, she spotted Gerda at Lily's side. The head maid delicately balanced a small bowl of hot broth in one hand. The other, clutched a shiny silver spoon that was en route to Lily's mouth, which was now closed.

"Your Majesty, the poor thing is just too weak," Gerda said, sneakily managing to get the girl to swallow another spoonful. It seemed as though Elsa was not the only one guilty of enjoying 'baby time' with Lily, who was far past being babied, despite everyone's best efforts.

"Too weak to eat, but not too weak to back talk with every bite?" Rasmus interjected, doing anything he could to save the girl from Gerda. His smile was so honest and playful that Elsa couldn't help but giggle, though she attempted to hide it with a cough behind her hand. Rasmus just shot her a wink, unashamed.

"Gerda," Elsa said, regaining regal composure, "I'll take over feeding her. Could you please give us a moment alone?" Gerda smiled carefully, inclining her head just so with a short bow.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

_**A/N:**_

_**Hey there . . . Me again. **_

_**That wraps up this chapter! And if you thought it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger . . . You're right, and I'm not sorry for it. Coming up, is an awkward talk between family members, and not the one you're thinking. ;) STAY TUNED!**_

_**On a side note: If any of you lovely readers frequent Tumblr, check out what my small world is made of. I go by courtynicole09 on there. **_

_**Anywho, see you next time!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:**_

_**As promised . . . Two chapters in two days! You. Are. Welcome. No, I'm kidding. ;)**_

_**Anywho, this chapter was a bit rushed, I'll admit. I have so many ideas as to how this fic can, (and probably will), play out, but sometimes, things like this get in the way. I am still very proud of where this is going, but it's also bringing out self-consciousness in me, the likes of which I have not experienced in years. Feel free to review . . . I might need it . . . **_

_**ENJOY!**_

Chapter 4 ~ELSA'S P.O.V.~

Lily was even less willing to let Elsa try and feed her the last of the broth that made up her lunch. Lucky for her, the young queen was more than slightly distracted with other things, and didn't fight her daughter to eat. For the life of her, Elsa could not figure out how to explain the painfully awkward situation she had found herself in. Perhaps it would have helped her to know what Lily already knew, or what exactly she had seen.

_Oh Lord, the ice . . . _

"Kjæreste, I want to talk to you about something," Elsa began gently.

"Me too, Momma," Lily said with a small, scratchy voice.

Elsa noted absentmindedly that her little girl truly must not have been feeling well. As much as it pained the queen, Lily most usually had to be goaded gently into using any other endearment toward her other than 'Elsa.' Recently, 'Mother' had cropped up a few times, including just a moment ago, but that was mostly when Elsa could tell that the girl did not want to be scolded or argued with. Elsa never let it show just how deep the pain went without those little words, and she hoped time would heal whatever kept Lily from using them.

"You first," Elsa told Lily with a smile. Anna muttered something that sounded an awful lot like 'chicken' across the room, but the elder sister chose to ignore this.

"I was just wondering . . . Are you and Razzy going to have a baby now?" Her happiness was palpable as she spoke the question.

"WHAT?!" Rasmus all but shouted, his eyes wide as dinnerplates. Lily looked over at him seated in a rather comfy chair by the fire, and did her best to explain in what little voice she had left.

"Well, you and Momma are sharing a bed now, and I thought that meant you'd be getting a baby soon." Elsa almost felt bad, staring at her one and only child's overjoyed smile. Her innocence toward the subject was endearing, and quickly swept away any fear she had felt before this moment.

"No honey," Elsa cooed, rubbing the back of Lily's hand with her cool fingers. "No one is getting a baby." _You're the only baby I need. _

Lily's smile fell as she returned her attention to Elsa, confusion now forcing her chapped lips downward.

"I don't understand . . . Doesn't 'pregnant' mean someone's getting a baby?" She questioned, meeting every adult gaze in the room. Elsa cleared her throat, her own features pulled down with misunderstanding.

"Yes, kjæreste, that is what 'pregnant' means. But, where did you hear that word?"

"Aunt Anna," she said simply, pointing an accusing finger at her redheaded aunt. Elsa turned on Anna in less than a second, anger the dominant feature pooling around her icy blue eyes.

"You told her I was pregnant?!" The queen demanded.

"No no no no!" Anna said, throwing her hands up as if Elsa was about to physically attack her. "She must have heard me talking to Kristoff last week!"

"That's exactly what happened," Lily said without a thought.

"You told _Kristoff_ I was pregnant?!"

"NO! Of course not!"

"Then who is pregnant?!" Elsa all but screamed.

"ME, YOU IDIOT! _I'M_ PREGNANT!"

Elsa's face fell, and she didn't even register the insult that had so casually fell off her sister's lips. It took her only a moment to fully comprehend what was happening, and another moment to allow herself happiness. The kingdom and its troubles melted away as she smiled widely at Anna, tears forming behind both their eyes.

"Oh my God! You're _pregnant_?!" She finally squealed; most un-queenly of her.

"Yes!" Anna agreed, her own smile lighting up an already glowing face.

"I'm going to be an aunt?" Elsa asked, taking her sister's trembling hands.

"Looks that way," Anna said simply.

Laying in bed, Lily could barely contain herself.

"So, we _are_ getting a baby?" She asked, hope dripping from the question in her voice.

"Aunt Anna is, kjæreste, yes," Elsa confirmed. Anna looked over at her sickly little niece who seemed as though she wanted to be anywhere but bed at the moment.

"And I'm going to need help babysitting," she told Lily with a smile.

"YES!" Lily shouted, straining her already weak voice, one hand thrown up in the air in victory.

/ / / / / /

Not even a full twenty – four hours later, Anna and Elsa were holed up in the queen's spacious office, giggling like little girls (albeit very_ quiet_ little girls), over every detail of Anna's baby shower. Their voices were forced down to hushed tones, due to the fact that Lily had joined them for the afternoon, after begging Elsa for what felt like endless hours. The medication that the physician highly suggested Lily take, had completely knocked the girl out, yet she was somehow having fits in the middle of unconsciousness. She would whine or cry for a few seconds, and then thrash around violently as if suffering from a night terror, before being gently shushed and rocked back to a peaceful place.

Gerda insisted over and over again that she was capable of handling Lily's terrors, and would happily watch over the girl so the queen could have some much needed 'sister time,' but Elsa was unconvinced. Even Anna jumped in to tell Gerda that it was best for Elsa to care for Lily while she was in such a fragile state, and the maid had little energy left to argue with the feisty princess. Instead, she simply swaddled the girl in heavy plush blankets, and handed her over to Elsa like a newborn, immediately being rocked gently as her weight met the queen's arms.

Lily was still there, under her mother's careful watch, being rocked and shushed so quietly, an outsider may have thought the Snow Queen had an infant trying to nap in the castle.

"We have to use green!" Anna said, scribbling in her ever messy handwriting all the little details she was bound to forget.

"It's your baby," Elsa agreed with a smile. She could hardly believe this was actually happening to her little sister. It was all just so overwhelmingly amazing for the both of them.

"_Mommy_ . . ." Lily whined quietly from Elsa's lap, still deeply asleep from all the medicine.

"Speaking of 'baby,'" Anna teased with a light smile, watching her sister take Lily into her arms and pat her back gently.

"Easy there, little sister. This one is mine. You're having your own," Elsa smiled, rocking carefully in the large leather chair behind her desk.

"I know! This is so exciting! I can't wait until I get to do, well . . . That," Anna said, pointing to Lily crying softly in her sister's arms as Elsa shushed the small girl gently. "I just hope I'm as good at it as you are."

Elsa's sparkling blue eyes shifted between Anna and Lily, who had quieted by now, assessing something silently. Lily was suddenly so small in the queen's arms as she stared at her little sister. The once feisty redhead now was reduced to a scared child again, unprepared for the incredibly huge life change she would soon experience, no matter how wonderful it was. Elsa knew she had to do something.

"Hold out your arms," the queen said, breaking the tense silence. Anna looked dumbfounded, not quite sure where the command would lead.

"What?"

"Hold out your arms," Elsa repeated, standing from her desk with a very much asleep Lily cuddled close. Anna did as she was told this time, awkwardly extending her arms for whatever her sister had planned.

Elsa gently shifted her daughter to place her into Anna's waiting arms. It only took the princess a moment to understand what was happening here, and was immediately frightened. Her whole body tensed under the feather light weight of her little niece, and it was wholly confusing for her. Anna had picked Lily up many times before now, all without an ounce of fear or worry, but this felt so different. Before now, she didn't know she would be holding her own child like this in less than a year.

It seemed to be going well enough, however, and Anna felt herself relax a little more as the seconds ticked by. Lily was so still, so peaceful, her soft breaths coming in small pants through her congested nose, causing a small whistling noise to ring out in the otherwise silent room. It made Anna giggle. Elsa couldn't help but smile at the pair of them. She knew Anna would be okay, it just took a little convincing.

"See?" Elsa said softly, giving Anna a knowing smile. "You're doing great."

"Thank you, but this is different. Lily isn't a baby."

"Close enough," Elsa jested with an easy laugh. They both knew how easy it was for everyone in contact with Lily to baby the little girl. She was still so new to them, it was almost like she really was a baby.

"Not really," Anna pouted. "Lily is big enough to talk to you, to tell you what she needs and how she feels. Babies don't do that. How will I know, Elsa? What if I mess up?" As if she had heard her aunt's frantic worries, Lily began her soft crying again, wriggling against the blankets that were working well to restrain her.

"Well, here's your chance."

"Chance for what?!" Anna questioned, her panic rising. "Take her back!" She offered the crying girl back to her mother, but Elsa crossed her arms and took a step back.

"No, this is your chance to practice. What do you think she needs?"

"You!" The princess said, attempting yet again to give Elsa her daughter back, and again, Elsa denied her.

"Well she has you right now."

"But . . . But I don't know what to do," Anna said, defeated.

"What do you _feel_ like doing?" Anna shrugged. "Just take a deep breath and think about it. Listen to Lily, she'll tell you."

Anna wasn't sure what that meant; all Lily was doing was crying and unconsciously trying to worm her way out of the princess's arms. She trusted Elsa, though, and decided to give her sister's advice a chance. A long, slow deep breath filled her lungs as she struggled to maintain her calm. Anna kept her teal eyes closed, attempting to really _hear_ Lily, as Elsa had suggested. At first, it sounded like the same crying she had been doing for the past few hours, but it quickly transformed into something else to Anna's ears, though the sound did not physically change.

Lily was not simply crying. No, these were soft, desperate pleas for safety and affection, all mixed together with unimaginable pain. Lily wasn't crying . . . She was _hurting_. Anna quickly buried the little girl's face into the crook of her neck, Lily's dark curls brushing against the peach, freckled skin. The princess patted Lily's back gently, rocking and shushing quiet, sweet nothings into her niece's ear, attempting to stifle the pain from the outside. Beyond her permission, a few silent tears escaped from Anna's eyes, but were quickly brushed away with cool fingers against her warm cheeks.

"Everyting is going to be okay," Elsa whispered next to her.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_

_**We haven't heard from Miss Anna yet . . . And I think it's time to change that . . . **_

_**A short chapter. Sweet. And to the point. **_

_**ENJOY!**_

Chapter 5 ~ANNA'S JOURNAL~

Dear Journal,

First off, I want to say that I didn't agree to writing to you. I don't like the idea of writing at all, really, but Kristoff said this might help me deal with some of the feelings I'm having . . . So here I am.

Secondly, I refuse to use the word 'diary' because that's not what this is. Diaries are for kids. This is a grown up place for me to write down how I feel about grown up things, in a grown up way. Because that's what I am. A grown up. Did I mention that? And you, paper in front of me . . . Are a journal.

So anyway, I expect you're wondering why you're here. Well, you _would_ wonder if you _could_ wonder . . . If you were alive, I mean. I hope that's not insensitive. But here's the thing: it's been almost two months since I told Elsa about the baby, and even then, the physician said I had only been with child just as long. I've got a little roundness to my belly, (which Kristoff _loves_ for reasons I'll probably never understand), and now that the morning sickness is gone, being pregnant is actually kind of fun. The more time that goes by, the more real everything becomes. It sort of feels like waking up in the morning, and not having a really clear picture of your room, but the more you rub your eyes, the clearer it gets, even though you know it's a room and all . . . Yeah, that makes sense.

I've been feeling my little one squirm around more and more every day. It's the strangest feeling! Yesterday, there was even a kick! This has gone from being the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, to one of the most exciting things I've experienced in my life. Every day is new, and it brings me a little closer to meeting my baby. It makes me smile to think about finally seeing his or her face. I just can't wait. But somehow, I still feel empty. Why?

Because I can't tell Elsa.

It seemed like from the day my sister found out about my little bundle, Lily's condition only got worse. At first, she was simply feverish with a bad cough, but the cough soon became a nagging hack that the poor little thing could barely breathe around. Only days later, her fever grew so hot that she often hallucinated. Not even Elsa's magic could keep the heat at bay, even after the physician suggested Lily be without clothes for some time to try and break the heat. In the past weeks, her little body has grown too weak to even stand. (We found that out the hard way not too long ago one night when Gerda attempted a cool bath to soothe Lily's rising body temperatures). Sometimes, Elsa takes her own meals in Lily's room, and helps Gerda feed her. Lily doesn't even fight it anymore, and that scares me.

The physician sees Lily daily now, filling her with medicines I've never heard of. He tells Elsa how sorry he is that it seems Lily is beyond help. I've heard more than once that there's just nothing he can do because 'the pneumonia has set in, and won't be broken.' Whatever that means. He says . . . That Lily is going to die.

Of course, Elsa isn't giving up so easily, but that only makes things harder. How am I supposed to tell her how excited I am about all the things going on with _my_ baby, when she's about to lose _hers_? And what about Lily? Is it fair for me to look forward to my child, while she's basically on her deathbed?

I'm just so confused, Journal. This all feels like too much to handle, and I don't know how much longer I can hold on to this by myself. To make matters even worse, Christmas is tomorrow. Tonight, we're going to try and celebrate Lily's birthday . . .

What if it's her last one?

_**A/N:**_

_**. . . Oh God . . .I'm so sorry . . . Please come back next time. The next chapter will be up soon. Just hang tight, readers. **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:**_

_**Alrighty folks, here we are! The next installment! Hopefully this makes up for the awful feels the last chapter wrenched unwillingly from your heart. Or perhaps . . . It will only make it worse? **_

_**You'll have to read to find out . . . **_

_**ENJOY!**_

Chapter 6 ~ELSA'S P.O.V.~

/CHRISTMAS EVE DAY/

"We can always wait until tomorrow, Your Majesty," Gerda said softly. Just next to her, Elsa sighed deeply, staring at her daughter who was still unconscious, overwhelmed by exhaustion.

"I suppose we'll have to," the young queen conceded. "I just wanted to try and make this day about her, make it special. She deserves it."

The last few words were too much for Elsa, and she broke down at long last. In truth, the maid was surprised it had taken this long. But then again she should have known better; Elsa was such a strong young woman with the world on her shoulders, not to mention her ice which she had only just gained moderate control over. _Of course_ she would have fought tooth and nail to not let her feelings run wild again. Cool tears ran down the queen's pale cheeks in torrents. She curled into herself reflexively, trying to stifle the building sobs growing in her chest, the ones that were rising up with painful force and threatening to escape, but it was of no use.

Gerda wrapped her arms around Elsa, titles be damned, and tried to console her. Loud sobs shook the queen's body violently, and for a moment, the maid truly believed the sound would wake Lily. To her amazement, however, the little princess did not so much as stir. Hesitantly, Gerda turned her attention back to Elsa and began rubbing her back with long, gentle strokes. The motion brought back painful memories of when her queen was still just a little princess, and would cry for hours on end because all she wanted was Anna, and that was the only thing she was forbid from having, causing the head maid to try and calm the little girl down. It broke Gerda's heart all over again.

"What's going on?" Anna asked from the hall.

"A-Anna you n-need to go. You c-can't be in h-here. You'll g-get sick," Elsa chided through her tears, still leaning on Gerda.

"I'm not _technically_ in the room, Elsa, I'll be fine," the princess said with a smile.

"A-Anna p-please," Elsa continued to rasp, "I d-don't want y-you or the b-baby to g-get h-hurt."

Anna finally sighed, her smile turning down. Elsa was always trying to protect her, and honestly, it was starting to get a little tired. She waved her long arm in a sweeping gesture toward her sister.

"Then come out here so I can hug you. Please?"

The queen did not put up a fight, and quickly left Gerda's arms for Anna's. The pair embraced for a long moment, Anna letting her big sister ride out the seemingly unending wave of pain that no one had escaped the past few months. It was hard for her, to see Elsa this way, so broken and beaten down, but she wouldn't show it. She had to be strong for the both of them. Elsa had done it before, so what was stopping her from taking her turn now?

"Why don't you go get some sleep?" The princess said when Elsa's tears had calmed enough for the words to be heard.

"But what about-"

"I've got Lily," Anna finished, taking the words straight from her sister's mouth.

"Anna you can't, you could get sick. Your immune system is so open to germs and illness -"

"That I could fall deathly ill and harm my child, yes I know. You've been telling me that every single day, Elsa. Leave it to the germaphobe to lecture me on the hazards of taking care of sick people," Anna teased with a smile. Elsa however, did not look happy, so the younger girl tried to get serious again. "And anyway, I won't actually go _in_ her room. I'll get a chair and sit out here to listen for her. If she needs anything, Gerda or Kai or even Rasmus can help."

"No," the queen interjected, her eyes still rimmed with unshed tears, "if she wakes up, you come get _me_." Elsa's tone was so sure, so final, that Anna knew she was not to be argued with. Instead, she simply crossed her thin fingers behind her back, and said:

"Okay, Elsa. I promise."

/ / / / / /

Elsa's sleep was anything but restful, to say the least. At first, she wasn't entirely certain she even could fall asleep, but the long hours of work coupled with the sleepless nights taking care of Lily quickly caught up to her as her head hit the soft pillow. She fell into unconsciousness at a rate she was very much unaccustomed to, so the nightmares that immediately began to plague her felt too real for comfort. They played over and over in her overworked mind like memories; every action feeling reminiscent of something that had already passed, and became tangible to the sleeping queen.

_Lily running through the castle gardens, leaves crunching under her new black shoes. Anna attempting with all her might to build a snowman without Elsa's magic that didn't look quite so lopsided. Rasmus, kissing her with soft lips and pressing her close as he whispered into Elsa's mouth how much he adored her . . . _

And then everything turned dark.

_Everyone was outside at dusk, standing among the towering slabs of stone that were her parent's graves. Tears were being shed all around; from the castle staff, to visiting dignitaries, to even Anna and Rasmus at her sides. Elsa could almost feel something running down her own face; horrific feelings of grief overtaking her entire body. People all around her spoke in hushed voices of how awful this was and how difficult it must be. _

_ ". . . Just tragic." _

_ "So young . . ."_

_ "Not even her own blood, and now she's gone . . ." _

_ "I hear she died in the Queen's arms . . ." _

_ " . . . Slipped away so quietly." _

_ "They're all inconsolable . . ." _

_ The voices were right. Elsa felt her dream self slip to her knees before one of the stones, the ground meeting her with its firm unforgiving frost. The cold bothered her here as she knelt, weeping openly and placing her hands against the dark rock. How could she let this happen? If only she'd paid more attention, spent more time away from her duties . . . Lily might not have died. The queen was sure of it as she moved her fingers across the engraving of Lily's name on the grave. It still jabbed at her heart to feel her daughter's name and then look just to the left and see her parent's names written on the same type of stone . . . _

_ "__Kjæreste," she choked out through the tears. _

Elsa awoke with a start, shooting from the bed at such a speed to make her head spin, but she paid little attention to it. There was something much more important she needed to check on; something she needed to see and touch to make sure this was real and the dream had been a horrific lie. The longer she waited, the more she began to doubt the validity of what was a dream and what was reality. There simply was no discerning the two right now.

She threw the door to her room open and glanced just next door where Anna sat in a large, cushioned chair . . . Just like she said she would. The door to Lily's room was, in fact, cracked open just by Anna's head, allowing the princess to hear should her niece so much as stir. Elsa figured either Kristoff or Rasmus had moved the chair from the library for Anna to be comfortable, and Gerda had draped the thick blanket over her when the mother-to-be had inevitably fallen asleep. Anna was slumped against the doorframe now, her rounded body heavy with sleep, snores quietly filling the hall.

Elsa found herself smiling just slightly as she took in the sight. She moved to wake Anna and help her to her own bed for a quick afternoon nap, when the queen spotted an open book on the girl's lap and a pencil nearly falling out of one of her hands. _Anna_ had been _writing_? That struck Elsa as odd, even for Anna. Gingerly, she picked up the tiny book and began to read through her sister's scrawled writing . . .


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:**_

_**Hello again, readers! I wanted to take a short moment to tell you how great it is to have you all reading my story. I have been enjoying your reviews and reactions, and I look forward to even MORE! **_

_**ENJOY!**_

CHAPTER 7 ~ANNA'S P.O.V.~

The Princess of Arendelle slept soundly, (albeit awkwardly), in an overstuffed armchair that her husband and almost - brother- in - law had lovingly dragged from the library. Her dreams were colorful and sporadic, but that suited her just fine, and she found a sense of peace as she slept. She had been sleeping so much as of late, and while the midwife assured her that this was normal at her stage of pregnancy, no one really had an answer for why it was nearly impossible to wake the woman once said sleep had claimed her. The sheer difficulty of the situation forced her older sister into only one option at this point: peppering Anna's freckled cheeks with large snowflakes to rouse her from unconsciousness.

The intense cold freed Anna of her dreams quickly - too quickly, in fact. She lashed forward in shock, nearly smacking Elsa's forehead with her own. Luckily, Elsa's hands were already raised from conjuring the small flurry now dusting her sister's face, and she caught Anna before any harm could be done. Anna looked up for a quick moment to inspect her surroundings, and saw the Queen's lips wearing a worried smile. The sight quickly brought an uncomfortable feeling to the pit of Anna's stomach.

"What's wrong?" The Princess pondered aloud, her head automatically swivelling around to try and get a good look into her niece's room.

"Lily is fine," Elsa assured her quietly. "You did well watching her for me, thank you." Anna brushed her hair back from her face in a move that was more reflex than anything, visibly flustered.

"Not so much; I fell asleep on the job," she admitted with a heavy sigh.

"Then that makes two of you," Elsa said with a hushed giggle, gesturing to a deeply sleeping Lily behind them. Anna couldn't help but laugh too, though she could not shake the heavy guilt she felt for slacking when Elsa needed her.

"Well what's going on, then? You look upset," Anna said, wiping the excess snow from her face. Elsa took her sister's hands - so warm in her own - and helped her up from the low chair.

"Come with me. I want to talk to you," Elsa said simply, guiding Anna by the hands just next door to her room.

The large white door was kept ajar just slightly to better hear Lily should she wake. Anna still carried an uneasy feeling as they ventured into Elsa's room, and no matter how she tried to reason with herself, it just wouldn't go away. Elsa was clearly working to keep her 'Queen voice' at bay - something that she used with her sister only in the most serious situations - but Anna still sensed a tangible sedate feeling between them as they took a seat on the Queen's unmade bed.

"Elsa please, tell me what's happening. You're worrying me," Anna pleaded, nearly on the verge of tears. That was not necessarily new either, but she still did not like the feelings that unaccompanied the unwanted tears.

"I could say the same to you, baby sister. Apparently there's a lot you're keeping from me." Elsa's face was so solemn, so sure, but Anna could not put the words together in her mind enough to make sense of what Elsa meant. Was her sister being cryptic, or was she just confused as per usual?

"Wait, what?" She finally asked. Elsa said nothing, instead reaching reaching over to a bedside table to her left, and retrieved a small, leatherbound book that was slightly worn from recent use. Anna knew this book too well, and she tensed upon seeing it. The Queen held it out between them in silent explanation. For a long moment, Elsa remained silent, wanting to let Anna say whatever she thought necessary, but she said nothing. Elsa had been prepared for so many reactions from her sister; anger, denial, sadness, maybe even blatant acceptance . . . But not this. Anna was halted in place, her mind completely blank. This was not at all what the Princess had thought her sister needed to discuss, and she was at a total loss.

"_Anna_," Elsa began gently, breaking the tense quiet, "while I can appreciate why you felt the need to keep these feelings to yourself for so long, I want you to know that you can tell me _anything_. I want to share this moment with you as much as possible. It's a first for me too, remember? This is such an important moment in your life, and what kind of sister would I be if you felt like you couldn't share it with me?"

"One who was losing her child," Anna shot back defensively, immediately regretting her words. Elsa flinched at the harshness in Anna's voice, but refused to get upset. Not only did her sister deserve to have whatever feelings she was experiencing, but Elsa did not want to cry right now and take away from Anna even more.

"Yes, Lily is very sick, and we might . . . Lose her, but you are still having a baby of your own, Anna. You are allowed to be excited. _As the Queen, I declare it,_" she said, trying to work up a smile from the redhead, but Anna would not easily be swayed at the moment.

"I just didn't want to hurt you. You're already so sad, Elsa, I couldn't make it worse," the Princess admitted in a small voice. After a short moment, Elsa took Anna's face in her hands and smiled.

"I won't lie to you, Anna, it probably will hurt to hear for a little while, especially if Lily leaves us," Anna's face fell at the mere mention of the one thing no one had dared say aloud. "_But_," Elsa continued, "you are my sister, and I love you, and I love this baby already. I don't want this experience darkened because you feel like you can't talk about it. Please Anna, _don't shut me out_."

The words that had been Anna's from the very beginning of their new relationship were her own undoing. Tears fell from her eyes without hesitation, as Elsa wrapped her up in a tight hug and kissed her ginger locks. How did the Queen always know how to make everything better? Anna didn't know, but she supposed it was why Elsa was in charge instead of her. She would never be the queen her sister was.

"Okay. I promise I'll talk about the baby with you more."

"Thank you," Elsa said with one last squeeze and a heaving breath, releasing Anna. "So first, I want to know if you've thought of any names." Anna lit up at that. Elsa really did know her too well.

"Well, for a boy I was thinking about Aren or Frey. But the only girl name I like so far is Kaya." Elsa opened her mouth to tell Anna that she thought any of those names would be perfect for a little prince or princess, but was interrupted by a voice at the door.

"I hope it's a girl, then," the voice said. Both Elsa and Anna looked up faster than the muscles in their necks wanted them to, and saw Lily leaning against the door, nearly breathless. "No offense, Aunt Anna, but I really don't want a cousin named _Frey_," she said with a weak smile.

"Kjæreste!" Elsa all but shouted, bolting from the bed without an ounce of elegance to take Lily in her arms.

/ / / / / /

Elsa carried Lily close as she walked next door and placed the child back in her own bed. The Queen was no less than thrilled that her daughter had even been able to stand, much less walk to the room next door, but she called for the physician all the same. She wouldn't be able to relax until a professional told her that Lily was improving. Her eyes could have been fooled, _after all. _

"Please don't misunderstand me, Your Majesty," the physician explained carefully after examining Lily. "The Princess is still very sick. It pleases me to see that her strength is returning, slowly, but still . . . Her fever has not fully broken, and that is far from good." Elsa nodded, doing her best to take in the man's words.

"So how do you suggest we move forward?"

"I believe the best course of action would be to continue as we have been. My visits will remain regular, medication will be consistent, and she still needs _a lot_ of bedrest." Lily let out a loud huff at that; she was tired of laying in bed, even if her legs could not carry her anywhere far. From the hall, Anna stifled giggles at her niece's sour expression, and it jogged the Queen's mind as she noticed her sister.

"And what of her being contagious? We had something planned for this evening, but I don't want to expose anyone if it isn't safe." Anna silently supposed that when Elsa said 'anyone' she specifically meant _her_.

"I think that if none of you have fallen ill yet, you probably won't."

"Even Anna?" _Knew it! _

"Yes, Your Majesty, even Her Highness should be fine. As long as the little Princess keeps her coughs covered and she isn't in direct contact with anyone for _too _long, I believe everyone will still be perfectly safe."

Elsa nodded and thanked the doctor again for his time. She then turned back to her daughter, who waited expectantly from the bed for her mother's attention. The Queen couldn't help but notice how small the child still looked, heavy with sickness, and forced back her tears as she tried to push away the images of her nightmares.

"How are you feeling, kjæreste?" Elsa asked, combing her long fingers through Lily's hair. Somehow, simply touching Lily helped the Queen's nightmares fade into distant memories of a bad story.

"Tired, mostly," Lily admitted with a shrug, "but also really hungry. How long have I been asleep this time, Momma?" The word struck a happy chord with Elsa, even if it went only to prove how bad the girl still felt, and her lips twitched with a wanting smile.

"You had a few moments when you were awake for a bit," _though none with any kind of lucidity_, Elsa added silently. "I would say it's been right about two days."

"Whoa," Lily sighed, shock washing over her. "No wonder I want food so bad. Momma, can I eat?" Elsa nodded, letting the excited smile she had been holding back finally have dominion on her pale face.

"Of course, kjæreste. In fact, I have a special treat for you."


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N:_**

**_Hello again readers! I want to start off by apologizing for my lengthy update times. Life is being a real bother at the moment. I won't go into detail because it would only bore you, but please believe that I am truly sorry to keep away from this for so long. _**

**_Secondly, I can't lie to you guys. This chapter is certainly not my best. I wanted so much more for this scene, and it just didn't work out like I wanted it to, but I also felt strongly that this story desperately needed an update. For this, I am also sorry. Most likely, when the bad things in my life have slowed down, I'll revisit this chapter (possibly a few more as well), as edit it to better fit my storytelling. But for now . . . Please, enjoy. :)_**

CHAPTER 8 ~LILY'S P.O.V.~

No matter how Lily begged, (and oh, did she beg), her momma would not let slip the surprise she had waiting. And what was more, Elsa was going to surprise Rasmus with a treat too. The little princess found herself slightly jealous at that; it was _her _birthday after all. Why was Razzy getting a treat too?

Anna walked with Elsa to her study as the Queen carried Lily in her arms, not wanting the girl to get tired before the night really began. Kristoff was already waiting for them inside, as Elsa had instructed Kai to have the rest of the family meet them there. The blonde mountain man greeted his little niece with a smile as Elsa sat at her desk, still cuddling Lily close.

"It's good to see you out of bed, Lily," he said gently, eliciting a smile from the girl.

"Quiet Kristoff! You'll ruin the surprise!" Anna scolded playfully, taking a seat next to her husband on the plush couch adjacent from Elsa's desk.

"Surprise?" He questioned, placing one large hand against Anna's ever-rounding belly. "Are you telling me you haven't told Rasmus yet?"

Elsa couldn't help but laugh at Kristoff's incredulous, yet playful tone. They truly had become friends before he wed Anna not long after the Thaw, and she was grateful for it. It made family time like this more comfortable and authentic.

It was only a moment later when the door to Elsa's office opened, and the Queen stopped laughing immediately. The late hour caused the blazing fire in the corner to cast strange shadows across the vast room. Elsa could just barely make out Rasmus's toned figure entering the space with a graceful stride.

"Is everything alright, Dearest?" He asked of Elsa, his voice so steady and calm. "Kai said you were wanting to see me - _LILY PAD_!" He exclaimed, his dark eyes finally landing on his daughter, tucked comfortably in the Queen's arms.

"Surprise," Elsa said with the widest smile any of them had ever seen. "She woke up just a short while ago. The physician says she's still sick, but improving."

"That's _great_," Rasmus said, taking both the Queen and his daughter into a hug.

The happiness that rolled off him was tangible; even Lily could feel it, and she was nearly asleep again. Rasmus was so happy, in fact, that before ending the hug, he took Elsa's face in one hand and kissed her long and deep with an open mouth. And strangely enough, even with everyone's eyes watching them quietly, Elsa let him.

"Momma . . . Razzy . . . Ew!" Lily sighed, trying with all her strength to push the two apart. The force didn't amount to much, but the pair obliged her and separated after a long moment, sharing a small laugh.

"We're sorry, Lilypad," Rasmus offered, still laughing lightly. "I am just so excited to see you up and about; and in time for your birthday too!"

"Yes!" Lily agreed with a wide grin. "Momma said she had a special treat for me for my birthday!" Rasmus raised a dark brow at Elsa, feigning ignorance.

"Oh she did? Well I wonder what it could be?"

"I don't know! Momma! Can I please have my special birthday treat now?"

"I suppose . . ." Elsa began slowly, her teasing smile unable to hide. "If you can't wait another second . . ."

"I can't! I can't!" Lily assured them with as much breath as she could muster. The young queen attempted to stifle another laugh as she kissed the top of Lily's head, and instructed Kai to bring in the surprise.

~ELSA'S P.O.V.~

Elsa watched with silent enthusiasm as Lily's eyes grew wide as dinnerplates at the sight of her surprise. The Queen had asked the kitchen staff to make something special for her baby, and boy did they deliver. Lily was beside herself when Kai placed a round cake bigger than the girl's head on Elsa's desk in front of her.

The chef seemed to have followed Elsa's instructions perfectly. She could smell the chocolate of the cake even from where she sat, and Lily was more than impressed at the delicate flowers of all colors adorning the white icing coating the sweet treat. In the middle of the cake, 'Happy 8th Birthday Lily' was laid out in thick purple cursive. It was perfect and beautiful, just like Lily.

Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday" to the girl who waited not-so-patiently for her first bite of cake. She had been asleep for two days now and felt as though she might die from hunger over anything else if she didn't get something to eat soon, and her momma was willing to let that 'something' be _cake_. This surprise was proving to be one of the best the girl had experienced.

Much to Elsa's dismay, however, it quickly became apparent that little Lily truly was still sick. She could barely stay awake long enough to eat, much less open her presents. The Queen dutifully fed her daughter small bites of the delicious cake, hoping to decrease Lily's fatigue as long as possible. This mostly consisted of Lily holding the spoon filled with cake as tight as her weakened muscles would allow, while Elsa simply wrapped her long, cool fingers around Lily's hand and guided the utensil where it needed to go.

Lily managed to get almost the entire piece eaten before allowing exhaustion to win out, and let Elsa take over completely. Elsa only managed two more bites feeding Lily herself, before she realized the girl was entirely unconscious again. The young queen's mouth fell into a soft frown without her permission as she gazed down at the sleeping figure in her arms. She had wanted so badly to make this night special for her little girl, and while Lily had seemed very pleased with getting to eat something sweet without first attempting to stomach 'good food,' Elsa couldn't help but feel disheartened that she could not do more for the girl.

What if she never got another chance?

**_A/N:_**

**_Again, I'm sorry. I know this one kinda sucked, but please, stick with me. _**

**_Comments are always appreciated. :)_**


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